Lighting fixture



19, 1933- F. w. L. FULLERTON 1,940,211

LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed May 15, 1931 INVENTOR FRED N. L. FULLER TO/y ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 19, 1933 LIGHTING FIXTURE Fred w. L. Fullerton, Maplewood, N. J.

Application May 15, 193 1.

19 Claims.

This invention relates to lighting fixtures. Particular reference is had to structures of electric lighting fixtures in which the lamp bulb, the source of light, is to be encased within a removable globe or housing, generally made of translucent glass, so that light from the source can pass through the globe for illuminating purposes. The globe must be constructed for assembly with the fixture so that it is removable, at will, for the replacement of the bulb, or for cleaning, or for other similar purposes.

In the past, fixtures had been provided upon which these globes had been supported, either by means of screw fasteners, or by resting them upon ledges, formed by a piece of metal, bent to provide such ledges, the metal being secured to the fixture at a considerable distance above the socket into which the light source, such as the usual incandescent filament lamp, was screwed. 20 This metal, therefore, had to pass downwardly around the socket, and past the bulb, to clear the latter. The length of metal necessary, the additional space above the socket required, all were conducive to a bulky construction, not desirable in modern electrical practice.

Generally, cooperating with the globe support, there is provided a cover for the support to conceal the latter from view and also, in some cases,

to cooperate with the globe and its support to retain the globe against movement relative to the support. This cover, of course, had to be considerably larger and'of greater extent than the support with which it was intended to be associated. It was mounted for limited sliding movement along the fixture and, because of its purposes, extended considerably above the support.

Furthermore, these supporting elements forthe globe were not readily removable, in cases where repairs or other operations were necessary in the vicinity of the fixture. In other words, after the globe support had been assembled with the fixture, and the socket had been located, the support could not be removed unless the recep tacle or socket, and, in some cases, the entire fixture, also had been removed.

It is an object of the invention to provide a globe support for use in combinations such as those above set forth, in which the elements upon which the globe is carried are secured to, or assembled upon, the socket in which the illuminating unit is to be assembled, or upon a part of the socket shell, and in such relation that a clear space is provided at the socket for the reception of the unit, and so that the supporting pieces are, at all times, positioned to be removed read- Serial No.

ily, without in any manner affecting the unit or the socket.

The socket and the support are so than the socke t itself.

It is an object of the invention to provide a socket for use in conjunction with fixtures of the type set forth, with which may be associated, readily and quickly, and without interference with any other part of the fixture, a pair of arms,

upon which may be mounteda globe, the arms being of such extent that the globe may be rocked on to the extending ledges at'the ends of the arms, and then, by its own weight, be retained in fixed relation to the bulb, or similar illuminating device, assembled with the socket.

Other object s of this invention will hereinafter be set forth, or will be apparent from the description and t he drawing, in which is illustrated a number of embodiments for carrying out the invention.

The invention, however, is not intended to be restricted to the particular construction and arrangement of parts, nor to the particularapplication of such constructions, herein shown and described, nor the same may or be applied to the various details thereof, as be modified in various particulars in many varied relations without departing from the'spirit and scope of the invention, practical embodiments of which have been herein ill the purpose o modifications practiced.

ustrated and described merely for f illustrating possible forms and whereby the invention might be On the drawing, in which the same reference characters refer throughout to the same parts,

and in which ferred to,

are disclosed the embodiments re- Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a lighting fixture assembly utilizing elements embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of one of the elements shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3.is a view, similar to Fig. 1, of a modified manner of ap plying the invention.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a portion of an element of the modified form shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a partial sectional view, parts being shown in eleva vention.

tion, of a modified form of the inof the socket.

The fixture 10, shown on the drawing, is seen to consist of a vertical support 12, to which is secured a socket or receptacle 14, carrying straps l6 and 18, upon which is to be mounted globe 20. Threadedly or otherwise received in the socket 1 1 is alamp bulb 22, the light from which is intended to be transmitted through the translucent walls of the globe. A shield 24 is assembled upon the receptacle, in the manner to be described, and relatively to which it is movable to be brought into contactwith the edge of the globe, as hereinafter set forth.

The vertical support may be of any particular character, either consisting of a rigid pipe, or a chain, or any other similar means for retaining the fixture in definite relation to a ceiling or similar member. The elements and the particular construction of the support are not of particular importance in relation to the invention hereof. At the lower end of the vertical support, may be provided a bushing 25, through which a bore 28 may be formed to provide a passage for conductors (not shown), for supplying the necessary current to the filament of the lamp in socket 14.

The soc :et itself may be of any conventional design, having a recess 30 within which are the necessary fittings for retaining the bulb 22, in the customary manner. Preferably, at the bottom end of the socket, and around the opening of recess 30, the insulating wall 32 of the socket is extended into a flange 34 having the ears 36. Each of the ears is provided with a countersunk passage 38, and a cut-out 40 at the bottom face In the cut-outs are intended to be set the shoulders 42 of straps l6 and 18, each shoulder being provided with a hole through which, and passage 38, may be inserted any suitablemeans, such as screws 34, the nut 46 of which is retained against rotation within the countersink 48, to hold the straps secured to the socket. X

Straps 16 and 18, in addition to their shoulders, each has an outwardly and downwardly diverging portion 50, the bottom extreme end of which is formed to provide a ledge 52. These ledges preferably are of substantial extent so as to provide a substantial surface upon which to restthe fiange 54 at the opening 56 through the top surface of the globe. a V V The globe may be of any conventional design, and is of translucent or transparent glass, or similar material. The flange 5a is constructed, and the dimensions of opening 56 are such that, by inserting one of the straps through opening 56, and then moving the flange at that point toward the receptacle, the flange at the other side of the opening will pass beyond the ledge of the other strap, and the globe may then be permitted to come down upon both the ledges. The dimensions of the ledges are such that the globe would be unable to come off the ledges in ordinary use. Any rocking of the globe will be compensated for immediately, since the extent between the upright surfaces 58'at the ledges is substantially the dimension of opening 56.

By locating the straps at the bottom part of the socket, the globe supporting means may be removed without interfering, in any way, with the lamp or the socket. Also, the straps are supported from the receptacle and have no relation directly to the vertical suspemion. V

The shield 24 may be of any desired construction, preferably being of sheet metal and having an opening 60, through which is passed the vertical support so that the shield may finally move down over and encompass the body of the receptacle. However, the opening is of a lesser di mension than the flange 34: so that the shield will be stopped, in its vertical movement, by the ears 36. This shield is intended to bring its rim 64 down upon flange 5 and, by its weight, to retain the globe against vertical movement, and thus to sustain the relation of globe, lamp and receptacle.

In Figs. 3 and 4, there has been shown a modified form of the globe support in which the strap 66 is substantially of one piece, being formed with an opening 68 of such dimension that it may be slipped over the body '70 of the receptacle 72, to be stopped against the flange '74 at the bottom face of the receptacle. The strap may be secured to the flange, if so desired. The shield '76 is mounted substantially as is the shield 24 in Fig. 1. The globe '78 is retained between the ends of the strap and the rim 82 of the shield.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5, the socket 84 has formed preferably integrally therewith, the arms 86, upon which the globe 88 is intended to be supported. The shield 90 in this construction also may be made slidable upon the socket.

Many other changes could be effected in the particular apparatus designed, and in the specific details thereof, without substantially departing from the invention hereof which is intended to be defined in the accompanying claims, the specific description hereinabove being set forth merely to illustrate operative embodiments whereby the spirit of the invention may be effected.

What is claimed as new and useful is:

1. A lighting fixture element for use in conjunction with a translucent casing for an illumihating member, which includes: a receptacle having an opening at its lower end for receiving the illuminating member, and a plurality of oppositely extending straps removably secured to said receptacle at the lower end thereof externally of the receptacle, the straps having extending free end portions providing substantially horizontal rests, the ends being so arranged and positioned that the casing may he slipped over them and then be retained assembled by its own weight in relation to the receptacle.

2. A lighting fixture element for use in conjunction with a translucent'casing for an illuminati ng member, which includes: a receptacle having an open lower end for the location of an illuminating member therein, the receptacle having a flanged formation immediately at the open end, and a strap removably associated with said flange-and'having extending and portions, the portions being so arranged and positioned that the casing may he slipped over them and then be retained by its own weight assembled in relation to the receptacle.

3. A lighting fixture element for use in conjunction with a translucent casing for an illuminating member, which. includes: a receptacle having an open lower end for the reception of an illuminating memberin the receptacle, the receptacle having a fiange adjacent the open end, and a plurality of oppositely extending resilient straps removably secured to said flange and having extending end portions, the portions so arranged and positioned that the casing may be slipped over them and then be retained by its own weight in assembled relation to the receptacle.

4. A lighting fixture element for use in conjunction with a translucent casing for an illuminating member, which includes: a receptacle for the illuminating member, the receptacle having a flange at the member-receiving open end thereof and a plurality of oppositely extending straps removably received upon said flange and having extending end portions, the ends being so arranged and positioned that the casing maybe slipped over them and then be retainedby its own weight in assembled relation to the receptacle.

5. A lighting fixture element for use in conjunction with a translucent casing for an i1luminating member, said casing having an opening to receive the illuminating member therethrough, which includes: a receptacle for the illuminating member, and a strap movably received over and in encompassing relation to the body of said re ceptacle and having extending end portions, the extent of the ends being greater than one dimension of the opening so that the casing may be slipped over the ends and then be retained by its own weight in assembled relation thereupon.

6. A lighting fixture assembly, including: a vertical suspension for the fixture, a receptacle carried by the suspension, the receptacle being provided with means for associating therewith and for locating in definite relation to the suspension an illuminating 'device, a plurality of straps mounted from and removably secured to the lower face of the receptacle and having the ends thereof positioned radially of and in oppositely disposed relation'to, said receptacle, ledges provided at each of'the ends, and a translucent housing mounted upon the ledges.

'7. A lighting fixture assembly, including: a vertical suspension for the fixture, a receptacle carried by the suspension, the receptacle having an outwardly directed bottom edge and being provided with means for associating therewith and for locating in definite relation to the suspension an illuminating device, a strap extending from the receptacle immediately at the lower face of the bottom edge and having the ends thereof positioned radially of, and in oppositely disposed relation to, said receptacle, ledges provided at each of the ends, a translucent housing resting upon the ledges, and a retainer slidably mounted on the receptacle, the retainer being for locating in definite relation to the suspension an illuminating device, a plurality of straps mounted from and removably secured to the lower face of the receptacle and having the ends thereof positioned radially of and in oppositely disposed relation to, said receptacle, ledges provided at each of the ends, a translucent housing resting upon the ledges, and a retainer slidable along the receptacle and adapted to engage the portions of the housing resting upon the ends to retain them thereon.

9. A lighting fixture assembly, including: a vertical suspension for the fixture, a receptacle carried by the suspension, the receptacle being provided with means for associating therewith and for locating in definite relation to the suspension an illuminating device, a strap mounted from and removably secured to the bottom face of the receptacle and having the ends thereof positioned radially of and in oppositely disposed relation to, said receptacle, ledges provided at' each of the ends, and a translucent housing mounted upon the ledges.

10. A lighting fixture assembly, including: a vertical suspension for the fixture, a receptacle carried by the suspension, the receptacle being provided with means for associating therewith and for locating in definite relation to the suspension an illuminating device, a flange on said receptacle, a strap mounted from the flange and having the ends thereof positioned radially of and in oppositely disposed relation to, said receptacle, ledges provided at each of theends, a translucent housing mounted upon the ledges,

' and a retainer slidably mounted upon the receptacle and movable to rest upon the flange.

- 11. A lighting fixture assembly, including: a vertical suspension for the fixture, a receptacle carried by the suspension, the receptacle being provided with means for associating therewith and for locating in definite relation to the suspension an illuminating device, a flange on said receptacle, a plurality of straps mounted from the bottom face of the flange and having the ends thereof positioned radially of and in oppositely disposed relation to, said receptacle, the straps being independently removable from association with the receptacle, ledges provided at each of the ends, and a translucent housing mounted upon the ledges.

12. A lighting fixture assembly, including: a vertical suspension for the fixture, a receptacle carried by the suspension, the receptacle being provided with means for associating therewith and for locating in definite relation to the suspension an illuminating device, a flange on said receptacle, a pair of straps mounted from the bottom face of the flange and having the ends thereof positioned radially of and in oppositely disposed relation to, said receptacle, the straps being independently removable from association with the receptacle, ledges provided at each of the ends, a translucent housing resting upon the ledges, and a retainer slidable along the receptacle and adapted to engage the portions of the housing resting upon the ends to retain them thereon.

13. A lighting fixture element for use in conjunction with a translucent casing for an illuminating member which includes: a receptacle for the illuminating member and a plurality of extending straps integral with said receptacle and having extending free end portions providing substantially horizontal rests, the ends being so arranged and positioned that the casing may be slipped over them and then be retained assembled by its own weight in relation to the receptacle, and a retainer encompassing and slidable along the receptacle, the integrally extending straps providing a stop for retaining the retainer upon the receptacle.

14. In a lighting fixture assembly, for removably retaining a translucent housing for, and in enclosing relation to, an illuminating element, the assembly including a vertical suspension, a receptacle for the illuminating element carried by the suspension, a retainer slidably disposed upon the receptacle and movable along the exterior surface of the receptacle, the receptacle being formed with a fiange defining a stop for the retainer, and extending from the flange for removably supporting the housing, the retainer engaging the housing when so supported.

15. In a lighting fixture assembly, for removably retaining a translucent housing for, and in enclosing relation to, an illuminating element, the assembly including a vertical suspension, a

receptacle for the illuminating element carried by the suspension, a retainer slidably disposed upon the receptacle and movable along the exterior surface of the receptacle, the receptacle being formed with a flanged lower end defining a stop for the retainer, and straps extending from the flange for removably supporting the housing, the retainer engaging the housing when so supported.

16. In a lighting fixture assembly, for removably retaining a translucent housing for, and in enclosing relation to, an illuminating element, the assembly including a vertical suspension, a receptacle for the illuminating element carried bythe suspension, a retainer slidably disposed upon and encompassing the receptacle and movable along the exterior surface of the receptacle, the receptacle being formed with a flanged lower end, and a ledge-defining element slidably disposed upon and in encompassing relation to the receptacle, the element and the retainer being stopped against the flange, the element removably supporting the housing, the retainer engaging the housing when so supported.

17. In a lighting fixture assembly, for removably retaining a translucent housing for, and in enclosing relation to, an illuminating element, the assembly including a vertical suspension, a receptacle for the illuminating element carried by the suspension, a retainer slidably disposed upon and encompassing the receptacle and movable along the exterior surface of the receptacle, the receptacle being formed with a flanged lower end defining a stop for the retainer, and straps extending from and secured to the bottom face of the flange for removably supporting the housing, the retainer engaging the housing when so supported.

18. In a lighting fixture assembly, for removably retaining a translucent housing for, and in enclosing relation to, an illuminating element, the assembly including a vertical suspension, a receptacle for the illuminating element carried by the suspension, a retainer slidably disposed upon and encompassing the receptacle and movable along the exterior surface of the receptacle, the receptacle being formed with a flanged lower end defining a stop for the retainer, and a plurality of straps extending from and individually and removably secured to the bottom face of the flange for removably supporting the housing, the retainer engaging the housing when so supported.

19. In a lighting fixture assembly, for removably retaining a translucent housing for, and in enclosing relation to, an illuminating element, the assembly including a vertical suspension, a receptacle for the illuminating element carried by the suspension, a retainer slidably disposed upon and encompassing the receptacle and movable along the exterior surface of the receptacle, the receptacle being formed with a flanged lower end defining a stop for the retainer, and a plurality of straps extending from and individually and removably secured to the flange for removably supporting the housing, the retainer engaging the housing when so supported.

FRED W. L. FULLERTON. 

